VANDU’s action in solidarity with the Students for Sensible Drug Policy who held candlelight vigils across North America to demand an end to the “drug war” declared by Richard Nixon on June 17 1971.

Forty years ago today, Nixon publicly declared war on drugs. Since then, the US federal government has wasted over $1 trillion ruining peoples’ lives and putting tens of millions of nonviolent citizens in jail. Canada is now mimicking US policy.

Tonight, more than 500,000 people across the US will have to sleep behind bars for violating a nonviolent drug offense. That’s more than all of western Europe locks up for ALL offenses. This disgrace is a fiscal and moral nightmare for all of us who care about freedom, responsibility and accountable government. Think about this: locking up one inmate costs about $30,000 per year in the US and $320/day in Canada– way more than is costs to go to college.

We’re fed up with these disastrous policies – Our governments MUST finally end this shockingly wasteful, counterproductive war.

VANDU is a group of users and former users who work to improve the lives of people who use illegal drugs through user based peer support and education